tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post8647400342662275881..comments2023-10-17T16:44:08.588+03:00Comments on Fake Plastic Souks: Do UAE Driving Test Reform Ideas Miss The Mark?Alexanderhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14141884153180374138noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-42393343888223553002009-10-19T09:05:51.939+03:002009-10-19T09:05:51.939+03:00I think exchanging a learners license may not be a...I think exchanging a learners license may not be allowed in the book, so my guess is that the person who processed didnt notice it wasnt a real license....<br /><br /><i>In my opinion driving tests should be mandatory for everyone applying for a licence in Dubai. <br /><br />I just recently moved from Australia and I’m 17 years old, yet I got my Dubai licence in less than ten minutes. No tests, no questions asked, they only took a picture of me for my licence. <br /><br />I didn’t even have my full licence in Australia. It was a ‘learners’ licence, which means I must always be accompanied by a ‘Full Licensed’ adult. <br /><br />I know that the driving tests in Dubai are absolutely ridiculously hard, however it will still not change the driving lifestyle of Dubai (driving very fast, swerving dangerously in and out of lanes). <br /><br />NA<br />Dubai </i><br /><br />http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=81936&title=Everyone%20should%20have%20to%20take%20a%20driving%20test%20hereMohammadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-52624182465540444942009-10-18T09:13:32.213+03:002009-10-18T09:13:32.213+03:00wow Mohammed, exchanging even the learner's li...wow Mohammed, exchanging even the learner's licence for UAE licence - that's news to me. Any idea if it applies to all those 30+ countries, or only some 'super-privileged' set amongst them?<br />-sameGuyAt21:52Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-78623227896321881142009-10-18T08:54:50.250+03:002009-10-18T08:54:50.250+03:00Anon, I feel your pain. Many people here (includin...Anon, I feel your pain. Many people here (including expats) cannot think beyond overgeneralizations. They come with closed mindesets which dictate that everything has to be grouped to nationalities. <br /><br />If they meet 2 Filipinos who are housemaids, they will simply be unable to accept it when see a Filipino engineer; its impossible, I thought all Filipinos are housemaids!<br /><br />I hate it when I am asked for nationality everytime I need to get something done, except maybe when I am an the Carrefour checkout counter<br /><br />Btw, to add salt to the wounds, a privileged country national can exchange even his learners license for a UAE driving license as long as he is a citizenMohammadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-37960577797378655382009-10-17T21:57:34.551+03:002009-10-17T21:57:34.551+03:00I also like what Anon 16:43 said.
-guyAt21:52I also like what Anon 16:43 said.<br />-guyAt21:52Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-50211335715648006362009-10-17T21:52:55.996+03:002009-10-17T21:52:55.996+03:00real nick,
Mohammed is talking about people like m...real nick,<br />Mohammed is talking about people like me. I am an Indian citizen, have an Indian driving licence, got it on a stick shift (I even know how to stop/start on an incline on half-clutch without rear-ending into the vehicle whose bonnet is quite literally inhaling my exhaust pipes). I hardly drove after my driving classes, coz I never owned a car there; pretty good public Xport -- went to US, took maybe 3-4 hr of pvt classes just to get accustomed to RHS and freeways, and cleared the test. Drove across US for 2 years and pretty good (not a single blackpoints/fines/accidents). So you can say that whatever driving habits I had came from US.<br /><br />On that respect I should be treated like any other American licence holder and allowed to xfer my licence, right? right? But no I can't. <br /><br />Here it is from <a href="http://www.dubai.ae/en.portal?topic,transferdrivinglicenes,1,&_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=home" rel="nofollow">dubai.ae</a>:<br /><i>"<b>Transfer of Existing Driving License</b><br />You may be eligible to transfer your existing driving license, without having to take a driving test or going to a driving school, if you have a valid driving license from some countries. <b>You have to be a citizen of the country given below</b> with current resident status in UAE. This means that former residents from these countries who may be holding permanent driver licenses are not eligible and you will have to follow all the steps to get a new license as given here."</i><br /><br />One would think it's just incorrect wording on that website, but no. I actually enquired about it and it means what it says on the tin. Apparently my skin colour is not of the right shade. If only I was a 19 yr old teenage American who just got his licence 6 months back, and not much but one or two charges of DUI and a couple of redlights jumped against my name, then surely I'd be safe to drive in UAE. Unfortunatley I am not. Ergo, I am unsafe to drive in UAE which can be rectified only after taking 20 or so classes and spend so much money while having the privilege of being treated like I am in a bread queue for my monthly rations in communist Russia every single time I visit Galadari driving school. If that's not outright discrimination, I don't know what is.<br /><br />The solution is simple. Keep your driving schools and what not. But there is no bloody reason why everyone should go through them. As long as you clear your tests (and are not a nuisance on the roads during your learning stages with an L-plate and appropriate regulations like in any other country, including India) that's it..give licence to anyone; doesn't matter if s/he belongs to BurkinaFaso or if they've learned it from their dead grandparents in their farm. And if they don't know to how drive stop them even if they are from [insert Western nation of yr choice] with a 10 years licence.<br /><br />It's bloody simple, eh? But no, here in UAE that's not how we deal with things. Every single regulation and law has to be massaged and framed in terms of nationalities and overgeneralisations. (For every Indian acting crazy behind the wheels, I can show you similar driver of nationality/skinshade of your choice, but really that isn't the answer and that's not what we should be focusing on). If the authorities and these outside consultants really want to make a difference maybe they should start by looking at the driving capability of the applicant.<br />One would think that should be the sole criteria for handing out licences, isn't it? If you want a licence, show us how good you can drive. Simple. But that means we are now going into logical territory and that's a dangerous place for the mind to wander.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-71498848422728106472009-10-17T10:55:28.359+03:002009-10-17T10:55:28.359+03:00Nick, a person can transfer his license only if he...Nick, a person can transfer his license only if he is a citizen of the license giving country; so as I said, an Italian can transfer a 4 month old Italian license, but a non-American citizen, be he British or Indian, cannot transfer a 4 year old US driving license....Mohammadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-36826161089733325242009-10-17T09:20:07.567+03:002009-10-17T09:20:07.567+03:00...but I do agree with you about pretty much every......but I do agree with you about pretty much everythig else you said.huthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09299456569511629114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-79315592393282006422009-10-17T09:18:27.991+03:002009-10-17T09:18:27.991+03:00Mohammad,
I don't quite follow you. If someon...Mohammad, <br />I don't quite follow you. If someone has driven for 5/6 years in the UK (admittedly I don't know about the US but I believe American license holders have to do the test already so this point is moot),then he/she would be in possession of a British license so should be able to transfer without problems.huthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09299456569511629114noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-78148062911187213152009-10-16T10:03:17.298+03:002009-10-16T10:03:17.298+03:00Nick, there are plenty of non-westeners who have d...Nick, there are plenty of non-westeners who have driven for 5-6 years in the US/UK, but are not allowed to transfer their licences, On the other hand an Italian who has driven for 4 months in Italy can transfer his license. Go figure the logic behind that one. <br /><br />As for Arabs, in their circles, many of them actually consider themselves the best drivers out here; westerners are generally considered "cowardly and slow". <br /><br />Sam, in a news article a few days ago, an Emirati was saying how he had his car impounded and was fined thousands of dirhams for excessive tinting, and guess what, he still has it on. The police are under pressure whenever they go after anyone with "connections", and it is this "connections" business which encourages somepeople to drive like maniacs. <br /><br />Truck drivers drove like maniacs in Abu Dhabi just 10 years back, however, immediate deportations for serious offences has made them fall in line. <br /><br />Its just enforcement thats lacking, and I dont blame the police for that, there are cultural and social issues behind it...Mohammadnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-60614026233740940442009-10-15T16:43:08.642+03:002009-10-15T16:43:08.642+03:00All driver think they are the best.
But to assum...All driver think they are the best. <br /><br />But to assume that drivers from Western countries are better than the rest is just plain bullshit. <br /><br />I've seen drivers from the subcontinent who were the best drivers on any road, anywhere. <br /><br />Some of them argue that since they have driven under the worst conditions possible they can drive anywhere, very well. <br /><br />And, since you know no point of view except yours, you would not know the conditions under which truckers drive and what they say about silly men and women in SUVs who keep trying to cut lanes in front of them endangering everyone! It's easy to blame truckers. You never sit with them and they certanly don't comment on your blog. <br /><br />Ditto with cabbies - how would any cabbie come and drive in the UAE if he is not driving a cab? What visa does he get - wannabe cabbie? And how does he sustain himself? Maybe he has a rich dad in the UK, you think? <br /><br />It is good to think from the customer's point of view. But is it not more sensible to ensure that cab companies make sure they train them on roads whilst giving them a learner's stipend (like a management trainee) instead of hiring them one day and putting them on the streets the next?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-11705389509595711202009-10-15T15:41:56.405+03:002009-10-15T15:41:56.405+03:00IMHO, enforce tint ban properly, and on-the-spot f...IMHO, enforce tint ban properly, and on-the-spot fines for people who don't use indicators would improve the driving situation immeasurably. They can enforce stuff until the cows home but until tint is properly controlled in the UAE driving will never, ever improve to a good standard.<br /><br />As for driving with an experienced driver--it does work, although it is definitely not possible in congested neighborhoods.<br /><br />Reducing the driving age to 16 would improve things a lot IMHO (that is if people are trained properly, placed on some sort of probationary license to begin with, and kickbanned from driving until they're 21 if they screw around when they do get their license)<br /><br />In my opinion a lot of the problems here are just caused by laziness rather than lack of education--people don't indicate, don't give way and don't make any effort to drive properly.<br /><br />There are lots of people with licenses from the UK/US/wherever who come over here and drive like incompetent idiots just because they can get away with it.<br /><br />The number of people that drive around with phones planted to the sides of their head still amazes me.samuraisamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06177501779546963794noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-57495967589308692782009-10-15T11:39:47.672+03:002009-10-15T11:39:47.672+03:00I'm a Western driver, and I’ve seen plenty of ...I'm a Western driver, and I’ve seen plenty of Westerners here in Dubai with the driving skills of a turnip. The problem is that no amount of training will make a difference without enforcement. I see more and more police driving on SZR these days, but in three years I’ve only seen a handful of people actually get pulled over (and I bet it had nothing to do with failing to use a turn signal).<br />All long as the police turn a blind eye and rely on cameras, there is just not a lot of incentive to improve driving skills. <br /><br />And British drivers must be about the safest in the World??? Oh lord please.Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00072571761782911832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-39077676248635909802009-10-15T10:21:53.100+03:002009-10-15T10:21:53.100+03:00While it's encouraging that the standard of dr...While it's encouraging that the standard of driving is being looked at, the report is typical of those dreamed up by highly paid consultants. The few sensible suggestions are outweighed by the nonsense.<br /><br />The worst to my mind is the mandatory 30 lessons for new drivers. Why 30? Why not 26, or 33? There are people who will never pass a fair test regardless of the number of lessons while others are natural drivers and can pass after only a handful of lessons. Driver knowledge and ability should be the yardstick, not an arbitary number of lessons.<br /><br />For Brits, Aussies etc, well yes, a driving test here to demonstrate that we can actually drive on Dubai's unique roads would be fair, but driving lessons shouldn't be part of it.Seabeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06939892206726271433noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7655889105820772060.post-81514295953498273412009-10-15T09:30:40.183+03:002009-10-15T09:30:40.183+03:00Ahhh, finally -a post about driving in the Emirate...Ahhh, finally -a post about driving in the Emirates!<br /><br />I am sure Mr. Ehad Esbaita, is entirely unselfish in suggesting "that professional drivers should have to undergo a more rigorous course of instruction.."<br />It must be pure coincidence that driving institutes such as Emirates Driving Company might benefit from such a requirement, surely.<br /><br />I do not agree with the proposal that Westerners should have to pass a test again. I have driven in various places; In Rome, in London, in Istanbul, in India: I can tell the difference in driving standards, Alexander. British drivers must be about the safest in the World (definitely the slowest; there might be a correlation?).<br />I guarantee you that it is completely sensible to make non Westerners sit a test before letting them loose on the streets.<br /><br />However, one of the most important issue was completely missed by the consultants - and the article - which is the appalling driving standards of Emiratis. <br /><br />The UAE preaching to South Asians about driving standards is like the proverbial blind leading the on-eyed...huthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09299456569511629114noreply@blogger.com